06/03/2009

Container Crazy

With a two-acre property, you'd think I wouldn't really need to grow plants in containers. And yet I do. And in a big way. Last year I had 125 plants in pots, not including my bonsai. This year I decided to cut back a bit, and at last count I had only 70 or so.

Most of my plants are in terra cotta pots. I've always loved the look of clay, and good ones hold up well for several seasons without cracking. I grow perennials in double-fired pots, and despite temperatures in the teens around here, they (the pots and the plants) do just fine.

So just what do I grow? Well, you name it. I've got vegetables and herbs in pots, annuals and perennials in pots, even trees and shrubs in pots. There's really no limit to what you can put in a pot, and in some cases I don't put anything in them. I just like to admire the pot itself without any distractions. The bulk of my potted stuff is on the back patio and around the pool. I love to create a tropical look around the pool with palms, and I get them cheap at either the blue or orange box stores.

How cheap? Well around here a six-foot majesty palm goes for around 20 bucks, which is cheaper than a flat of annuals in many cases. And at the end of the season, annuals are history, whereas palms can be overwintered in the house, assuming you've got enough room and sufficient light.

I also like to grow cacti and succulents in pots, and I overwinter them indoors as well. Oh, and let's not forget the agaves, a few of which are actually hardy to Zone 5, including Agave neomexicana, which is a real beauty. Oddly enough, I sometimes have to put my cacti and

succulents in the garage during the spring, since too much rain can actually cause root rot.

Naturally, I grow a number of conifers in pots, especially those for which little is known with respect to exposure. That way I can move them around if they're getting too much or too little sun. Many of my conifers are bonsai candidates, but not all. This little nursery bed works great, although I freak out

now and then when the kids have pool parties and I see all sorts of objects flying through the air. But over the years I've come to accept the damage done by kids -- frisbees slicing through the branches of prized Japanese maples, hostas crushed by soccer balls, etc.

Although I like to grow one plant per pot, my wife likes to combine all sorts of plants. This year, I did most of the planting, so I got my way. And here are just a few of the plants I potted up.

The only real challenge to growing plants in containers is watering regularly. I suggest you either water in the morning with a cup of tea or coffee, or in the early evening with a more potent beverage. Personally, I prefer the latter timetable for two reasons. First, research has shown that container plants actually do better when watered late in the day, and perhaps more importantly, I prefer to have the hose in one hand and a more potent beverage in the other when I water.

Comments

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HI Paul: I just tried to enlarge a view of some of your photos on this post, they enlarged ok but when I tried to close it down and go back to the post the post shuts down. Don't know what to tell you to fix this but there is a way because other blogs work ok.

My wife and I have the same debate about containers. I do most of the gardening at our house, but my wife does like to help me plant containers sometimes. I like one plant to a container, she likes to cram as many different plants, colors, etc, as she can get into them. Must be a male/female thing.

I am curious about one thing...All those clay pots in the hot Oklahoma summer...Do you seal them with a water sealer? I love clay pots, but they cause the potting mix to dry out so quickly. I know some people use a Polyurethane water sealer on their clay pots, but I have not tried this myself.

I love terra cotta, too. My plants just seem to grow better in a porous container like terra cotta. I also think the color goes good with everything. I mix fresh peat moss in the old potting mix every spring and that way I don't have to water as often. For winter (zone 5) storage, I let the soil dry out in mid fall and then move them into a barn.

I love containers--they can brighten up a drab spot or really add a relaxed or vibrant mood to an area. I just don't grow many myself as I'm not so good at watering them all season. (It's good to just accept certain things about oneself!)

The porosity of terra cotta is one of its main attributes, so I don't seal the pots. Yes, it does get hot here in Tulsa, but most of my container plants are shaded in the afternoon. That's good for the plants, and for me as well, because when I water late in the day, the ice in my beverage doesn't melt too quickly.

Yeah, that makes sense. The porosity is great for drainage as long as they aren't in full sun. I tried growing herbs in terra cotta in full sun one year. During the summer, I sometimes had to water twice a day. The herbs didn't mind, but I sure did. I actually enjoy watering, but I enjoy it significantly less the second time in the same day, no matter how tasty my beverage.

Bigger containers help, of course, so plants don't become root bound and instantly soak up all the water. However, 14 inch terra cotta does get expensive.

I want to be one of those gardeners who maintains a million pots of plants. In fact, I do have quite a few for my small space, but I'm just too lazy to keep them watered! I was thinking of trying those blown-glass looking watering globes that Walgreens is selling. I think they are rather hokey, but hey, if it works...

Paul, could you please label at least some of the photos with more than a photo number?
I think I recognize most of the plants, like the hydrangea and shrimp plant but some I'm sure many of us aren't familiar with.
Thanks and I am SO loving your blog and your TV show on HGTV!